tihravy  of t:he  t:heological  ^tminary 

PRINCETON    •   NEW  JERSEY 

'Hi  VW 

PRESENTED  BY 

A.    G.    Cameron,  Ph.D. 


^^;© 


^ 


SERMON 

PREACHED  BEFORE  THE 

FIRST  CHURCH    AND  THE  EDWARDS  CHURCH, 

NORTHAMPTON, 


LATE    FAST, 

SEPT.  1,  1837. 
/ 

BY  JOHN^MITCHELL, 

PASTOR    OF    THE    EDWARDS    CHURCH. 
PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST. 


NORTHAMPTON : 

PRINTED    BY    W.    A.    HAW  LEY. 
1837 


SERMON. 


Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Stand  ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  wliere 
is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls. 

Jeremiah,  6  :  16. 

1  WILL  not  take  up  the  time  to  describe  the  condition  of  the 
Jewish  people  at  the  time  these  words  were  addressed  to  them. 
They  were  in  a  state  of  great  degeneracy ;  and  were  under  the 
frown  of  God. 

The 'old  paths'  which  they  were  commanded  to  inquire  after, 
were  the  commands  and  ordinances  of  God, — which  they  had 
in  the  scriptures,  and  in  which  their  pious  ancestors  had 
walked.  It  was  their  wisdom  and  duty  to  return  to  those  paths. 
In  doing  so,  they  were  assured  that  they  should  '  find  rest  for 
their  souls:' — they  should  be  saved  from  the  calamities  they 
then  suffered,  and  from  those  which  were  to  come ;  but 
neglecting  to  do  so,  they  were  threatened  with  the  severest 
desolations. 

I  conceive,  my  hearers,  that  we,  as  a  people,  are  in  circum- 
stances not  dissimilar  to  those  of  the  Jews;  and  that  we  are 
distinctly  called  on  to  do  the  same  thing.  It  is  but  too  evident 
that  this  whole  nation  has  declined  greatly  from  the  ways  of 
God.  And  we  are  under  rebuke  and  chastisement  for  our  sins. 
The  state  of  our  country  is  melancholy,  in  many  respects. 
All  our  great  interests,  civil,  commercial,  agricultural,  and 
religious,  are. embarrassed  ;  and  our  prospects  dark.  And  if  it 
be  asked,  why  these  clouds  are  over  us?  the  answer  to  us  is  the 
same  as  it  was  to  the  Jews;  that  'this  people  hath  a  revolting 


and  a  rebellious  heart;  they  are  revolted  and  gone.  Neither 
say  they  in  their  heart,  Let  us  now  fear  the  Lord  our  God  that 
giveth  rain,  both  the  former  and  the  latter,  in  his  season  :  he 
reserveth  unto  us  the  appointed  weeks  of  the  harvest.  Your 
iniquities  have  turned  away  these  things,  and  your  sins  have 
withholden  good  things  from  you.' 

Let  us  take  a  survey  of  our  sins,  and  consider  the  manner  in 
which  God  is  dealing  with  us. 

Look  first  at  our  civil  ox  political  condition.  We  have,  as  a 
people,  been  chargeable  with  a  sort  of  political  idolatry  ;  i.  e. 
we  have  idolized  our  popular  institutions.  We  have  boasted  of 
the  superiority  of  them  over  those  of  all  nations  ;  and  have 
trusted  in  them.  Our  Constitution,  and  not  God,  has  been  our 
palladium.  What  tumid  speeches,  what  inflated  and  atheistic 
toasts,  what  pompous  and  profane  rejoicings,  and  what  conceited 
prophecies  respecting  the  future  grandeur  of  our  republic,  have 
we  been  wont  to  listen  to  on  our  national  anniversaries ! 

But  now  we  are  left  to  tremble  for  our  proud  institutions. 
How  long  we  may  hold  together  as  a  nation, — how  long  the 
form  of  government  which  has  been  so  much  the  object  of  our 
pride  and  confidence,  may  withstand  the  corruptions  which 
assail,  and  the  interests  which  distract  it,  is  what  none  are 
sagacious  enough  to  tell.  Whatever  God  may  design  in  regard 
to  us,  I  cannot  doubt  that  he  will  bring  this  nation,  as  well 
as  all  others,  to  see  that  He  reigns ; — that  he  will  cause  us  to 
know,  by  our  own  experience,  if  we  will  not  learn  it  from  his- 
tory and  the  Bible,  that  'promotion  cometh  neither  from  the  east, 
nor  from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south  ;  but  God  is  the  judge; 
he  putteth  down  one,  and  setteth  up  another.'  '  He  removeth 
kings,  and  setteth  up  kings.' 

We  have  published  our  bill  of  human  rights ;  and  have 
declared  it  to  be  the  sentiment  of  this  nation,  '  that  all  men  are 
by  nature  free  and  equal;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their  Crea- 
tor with  certain  inalienable  rights;  among  which,  are  life, 
liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.'  And  yet,  in  contraven- 
tion of  this,  we  are  holding  some  two  and  a  half  millions  of 
people  in  involuntary  servitude  : — how  far  righteously,  and  how 
far  unrighteously, — how  far  from  necessity  and  how  far  from 
choice,  I  will  not  assume  to  decide.     But  surely  it  is  a  question 


not  lightly  to  be  disregarded  by  a  republican  and  christian 
nation.  If  slavery  be  an  evil,  a  moral  evW,  as  well  as  politcal, 
the  conscience  of  the  nation  ought  to  know  it,  and  ought  to  set 
it  down  as  one  of  the  sins  to  be  repented  of. 

But  the  manner  of  its  removal  ought  also  to  be  a  matter  of 
conscience  with  us,  as  well  as  the  thing  itself  Our  duty  does 
not  require  us  to  overlook  the  difficulties  of  the  subject:  we  are 
bound  in  conscience  to  regard  them  :  nor  is  it  permitted  us,  in 
our  sympathy  for  one  portion  of  our  fellow  men,  to  violate  the 
law  of  love  towards  another.  A  work  of  love  should  be  done 
in  the  spirit  of  love  :  a  work  of  justice,  in  the  spirit  of  justice, 
towards  all  concerned. — And  if  slavery  be  a  sin,  and  an  offence 
to  a  God  of  love,  so  also  are  railing  and  abuse,  licentious  doc- 
trines, mobs,  and  Lynch  law,  from  whatever  party,  or  quarter, 
they  may  proceed. 

But  I  leave  this  vexed  subject.  It  will  never  sleep,  probably, 
till  it  is  disposed  of  agreeably  to  the  will  of  God.  I  will  only 
say  that  it  requires  all  the  wisdom  and  prayerfulness,  all  the 
candor,  forbearance,  and  magnanimity,  which  it  is  possible  to 
bring  to  it, — toward  all,  and  on  the  the  part  of  all,  concerned. 

The  morals  of  the  nation  are  very  bad.  We  are  filled  with 
Sabbath-breaking,  intemperance,  profaneness,  and  other  vices. 
And  in  one  of  these  iniquities,  at  least,  the  Government  takes 
the  lead.  There  is  scarcely  a  village,  or  a  navigable  water, 
where  the  sound  of  wheels,  or  of  hissing  steam,  does  not  proclaim 
abroad  that  the  Government  does  not  respect  the  Sabbath.  And 
the  nation  patronizes  the  sin;  for  it  not  only  elects  the  men  to 
office  by  whom  it  is  committed,  but  upholds  them  in  it. 

And  what  is  our  plea  for  this  ?  The  necessities  of  business. 
We  are  making  such  haste  to  be  rich,  that  six  days  are  not 
sufficient  to  satisfy  our  cupidity,  and  we  must  rob  God  of  the 
seventh.  '  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things'?  saith  the  Lord, 
and  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this? ' 

We  are  visited  for  this.  If  not,  why  are  those  worldly  inter- 
ests which  we  have  been  so  eager  to  advance,  so  sadly  put  back 
and  frustrated? 

This  leads  me  to  observe,  in  the  next  place,  that  we  have 
been  guilty  of  aggravated  worldliness.  Never  was  speculation 
in  money  matters  so  extravagant  and  raging  as  we  have  seen 


6 

of  late.     We  have  been  mad  upon  our  idol,  Mammon  :  and  the 
mania  has  infected  the  church  as  well  as  the  world. 

We  are  under  rebuke  for  this.  We  have  suffered  an  im- 
mense reverse.  The  dream  is  dissipated  and  the  charm  broken, 
— whether  the  thirst  is  subdued  or  not.  The  customer  has 
taken  leave  of  the  merchant ;  the  busy  city  ig  comparatively 
deserted  ;  the  hammer  and  the  water-wheel  are  still ;  walls  half 
erected,  are  abandoned  ;  and  families  which  gloried  in  their 
riches,  and  thought  of  nothing  but  how  they  were  to  display 
and  enjoy  them,  are  reduced  to  beggary.  Nor  is  it  the  rich 
alone  that  suffer ;  but  every  body  is  made  to  feel  the  pressure. 

If  we  do  not  see  the  hand  of  God  in  this,  it  is  because  we 
are  blinded. 

We  have  suffered  in  oux 'agricultural  interests.  Seasons  have 
been  unpropitious,  and  crops  small.  And  is  there  not  a  cause 
for  this  ?  I  will  not  speak  of  our  ingratitude  for  the  bounties 
of  Providence ;  but  what  is  the  use  we  have  made  of  them  1  In 
a  single  distillery  in  or  near  New  York,  eight  hundred  bushels 
of  grain  are  consumed  daily ;  and  in  all  the  distilleries  in  that 
vicinity,  twelve  hundred  thousand  bushels^  and  in  the  United 
States,  twenty-five  millions  of  bushels,  annually,  of  that  which 
God  gave  for  bread,  are  said  to  be  converted  into  poison  ;  be- 
sides an  immense  consumption  of  fuel.  What  a  waste  of  the 
gifts  of  God  !  And  w"hat  sins  and  miseries  are  the  consequence  ! 
I  wonder  not  at  these  cold  seasons,  I  marvel  rather  at  our 
abundance.  I  wonder  that  God,  in  his  righteous  displeasure, 
does  not  withhold  the  sun  and  rain  from  us,  till  our  hunger 
shall  correct  so  wicked  an  abuse  of  his  bounty. 

If  we  come  to  the  state  of  religion,  in  the  land,  how  dark 
and  ominous  is  that !  What  evidence  do  we  find  in  it,  both  of 
our  own  degeneracy  and  God's  displeasure  !  What  a  general 
withdrawment  of  divine  influences!  How  dull,  and  cold,  and 
worldly  are  our  churches  !  How  incapable  of  being  aroused 
from  their  death-like  slumbers  !  How  powerless  are  sermons 
— falling  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  upon  the  drowsy  and  world- 
ly-minded congregation,  as  the  wasted  seed  falls  by  the  way- 
side and  among  thorns  ! 

What  unbecoming  controversies  among  brethren,  do  w^e  wit- 
ness;   and  what  divisions   and  dismemberments  of  religious 


bodies !  Was  there  ever  so  much  lack  of  charity ;  so  much 
angry  warfare;  so  many  shibboleths  and  factions? 

And  our  benevolent  operations — our  great  christian  enter- 
prises for  the  conversion  of  the  world — the  glory  of  our  19th 
century — at  what  a  stand  are  we  in  respect  to  these  ! 

In  all  this  we  cannot  but  perceive  that  we  are  '  a  people 
laden  with  iniquity;'  that  God  has  a  controversy  with  us; 
and  that  there  is  nothing  before  us  but  reformation  or  ruin. 

It  is  with  a  view  to  such  reform,  as  well  as  to  seek  the  forgive- 
ness and  mercy  of  God,  that  we  are  met  to-day. 

I  propose  then  to  inquire  in  what  way  the  desired  reform  may 
be  effected.  By  what  means,  or  measures  ?  The  inquiry 
proposed  is  not,  lohat  is  to  be  done  ?  for  that  is  obvious  :  we  are 
to  '  amend  our  ways  and  our  doings  ;'  but  in  the  use  of  what 
means  is  the  proposed  reform  to  be  effected  ? 

My  own  conviction,  in  answer  to  this  inquiry,  is,  that  it  is  to 
be  done  by  means  of  the  truths  and  ordinances  of  religion.  We 
must  seek  to  bring  ourselves,  and  the  nation,  under  the  power 
of  godliness  ;  and  we  must  do  this  in  the  use  of  those  means 
which  God  himself  has  appointed.  The  Sabbath,  the  pulpit, 
the  faithful  exhibition  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as 
well  as  its  precepts,  together  with  the  holy  and  devoted  lives  of 
the  people  of  God,  must  be  the  means  relied  on.  In  a  word,  the 
reforming  power  which  the  case  requires,  is  the  reforming 
power  of  the  gospel ;  and  this  is  the  only  power  which  can 
avail  us.  The  Bible  itself  declares  that  there  is  no  other.  It 
asserts  that  no  man,  and  of  course  that  no  community  of  men, 
is  truly  reformed  except  by  means  of  the  gospel.  For  it  declares 
that  '  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our 
faith  ;'  and,  as  if  it  would  challenge' inquiry  the  world  over,  to 
produce  an  instance  to  the  contrary,  demands,  'Who  is  he  that 
overcometh  the  world  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God?' 

I  am  the  more  desirous  to  show  this,  because  these  are  not 
the  means  which  by  many  appear  to  be  relied  on.  There  are 
many  schemes  of  reform  now  in  progress, — many  contrivances 
and  projects  for  ridding  the  land  of  its  vices,  with  which  the 
gospel,  as  such,  appears  to  have  very  little  to  do. 


Our  text  admonishes  us  to  ask  counsel  at  the  Bible.  '  Stand 
ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths,'  &c.  What 
then  are  the  old  ways  of  reforming  men, — the  'old  paths'  which 
were  trodden  by  the  great  reformers  of  ancient  times  ? 

If  we  look  into  the  Bible  we  shall  find  that  it  attributes  all 
the  sins  and  miseries  of  the  world  to  one  generic  cause — the 
alienation  of  the  heart  from  God;  the  ignorance  and  unbelief 
of  men  in  regard  to  Him  :  and  that  there  is  but  one  remedy, 
namely,  to  bring  men  back  to  God.  So  far  as  you  can  bring 
them  to  know  and  fear  God,  they  are  reformed,  and  made  virtu- 
ous ;  and  no  farther.  The  means  of  doing  this,  is  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel ;  in  other  words,  the  preaching  of  repentance,  and 
of  forgiveness  through  faith  in  Christ. 

This  was  the  burthen  6f  the  preaching  of  the  old  prophets: 
this  was  the  way,  and  the  sum,  of  their  endeavors  to  reform  the 
people.  '  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abund- 
antly pardon.' 

Jesus  himself  pursued  the  same  method.  He  '  went  about 
all  the  cities  and  villages,  teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom-''  He  commissioned  his 
disciples  to  do  the  same :  He  '  sent  them  to  preach  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  to  heal  the  sick,' — to  heal  the  sick  in  confirmation 
of  their  preaching.  •  And  they  departed,  and  went  through  the 
towns,  preaching  the  gospel,  and  healing  every  where.'  '  They 
went  every  where,  preaching  the  word,^  '  preaching  the  things 
concerni?ig  the  kingdom  of  God^ — '  preaching  peace  by  Jesus 
Christ.' 

Now  it  will  not  be  questioned — but  it  will,  though ;  for  many 
do  appear  to  question  it ;  but  it  will  not  be  questioned  by  us,  I 
hope,  that  our  Savior  and  his  apostles  had  the  true  wisdom,  and 
the  true  spirit,  of  reformers;  and  that  it  will  be  safe  for  us  to 
follow  them.  The  world  was  the  same  world  then  that  it  now 
,'  is.  It  was  filled  with  the  same  sins-  And  they  undertook 
the  reform  of  the  world  by  means  of  the  gospel.  Their  aim  was 
10  convert  men  to  God,  and  so  to  make  them,  virtuous.  Their 
instrument  was  truth,  and  especially  those  truths  which  pertain 
to  the  plan  of  redemption. 


Our  aim  and  instrument  must  be  the  same.  We  must  seek 
to  reform  mankind  by  converting  them  to  God  :  we  must  aim, 
by  means  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  to  bring  them  to  that 
repentance  which  is  unto  life,  and  to  the  experience  of  that 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
without  which  they  can  never  be  truly  virtuous. 

It  was  a  part  of  the  plan  of  the  reformers,  we  are  speaking 
of— our  Savior  and  the  Apostles — to  form  churches.  They  did 
this  wherever  they  could.  And  when  they  had  formed  them, 
they  endeavored  to  edify  and  perfect  them.  These  churches 
were  their  moroA  societies.  They  do  not  appear  to  have  formed 
any  other.  I  say,  the?/  did  not.  They  regarded  them  as  the 
best  form  of  organization  for  the  purposes  of  combined,  or 
associated  effort.  These  churches,  or  religious  societies,  were 
responsible  societies  ;  being  governed  by  the  prescribed  laws  of 
Christ;  the  individual  members  also,  being  subject  to  the 
watch  and  discipline  of  the  whole.  They  were  homogeneous. 
They  were  not  composed  of  persons  of  diverse  views  and  prac- 
tices,— men  of  the  world  and  religious  men  ;  men  of  the  true 
faith,  of  no  faith,  and  of  any  faith  you  please  ;  men  who  could 
meet  together  on  one  particular  question,  but  were  at  antipodes 
on  every  other; — they  Avere  composed  of  those  only  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  renewed,  and  to  be  of  one  Lord,  faith,  and  baptism. 
They  were  distinct  from  the  icorld.  They  were  not  linked 
in  and  confounded  with  it.  Its  policy  was  not  their  wisdom, 
nor  its  fellowship  their  strength.  '  They  are  not  of  the  world, 
(says  Christ,)  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.'  They  were 
catholic  societies;  being  formed  for  the  catholic  purpose  of 
benefitting  the  whole  of  mankind,  without  distinction  of  color, 
residence,  or  grade.  They  were  permanent  societies ;  being 
destined  to  continue,  not  only  till  the  world  is  reformed,  but 
when  it  is.  They  did  not  owe  their  birth  to  novelty  :  they  are 
not  dependent  on  it  for  their  continuance  and  power.  Their 
influence  is  ever  fresh  and  healthful  j  age  is  to  them  as  youth  ; 
and  the 'last  days,'  the  millennium  itself,  shall  be  the  period 
of  their  greatest  enlargement  and  their  highest  perfection  and 
glory, — when  thousands  of  other  things  which  have  claimed 
the  names  of  religion  and  philanthropy,  and  been  hailed  as 
9 


10 

things  of  promise,  shall  have  passed  away  and  been  forgot- 
ten.* 

On  these  societies,  I  say, — the  churches  of  Christ — the 
founders  of  them  relied,  under  God,  for  the  renovation  of  the 
world.  '  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  :  ye  are  the  light  of  the 
v\'orld.'  And  the  Lord  of  glory  has  pledged  himself  to  be  with 
them  :  '  Lo  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.' 
He  has  wrought  wonders  by  means  of  these  societies  ;  and  will 
do  so.  All  the  real  refoi'mations  that  have  ever  taken  place  in 
the  world,  from  Christ  till  now,  have  probably  been  owing  to 
the  action  of  christian  churches. 

If  we,  then,  would  reform  the  world,  we  must  do  it  by  means 
of  these  institutions.  The  best  thing  we  can  do,  for  this  com- 
munity, and  the  nation,  is,  ^o  enlarge  and  purify  the  churches. 
It  is  here  our  work  must  begin  and  be  carried  on.  It  is  here 
that  that  holy  light  is  to  be  kindled,  and  kept  burning,  which  is 
to  illuminate  the  world,  and  turn  it  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  Who  can  devise  a  better — 
a  more  hopeful  work  of  reform  than  this, — supposing  it  to  be 
undertaken  in  every  city,  town,  and  hamlet  in  the  land — to  pu- 
rify the  churches,  to  increase  their  knowledge  and  devotedness, 
and  to  add  to  them  daily  of  such  as  shall  be  saved?  What  an 
effect  it  would  have  on  the  moral  healthiness  of  the  land  !  How 
would  every  family,  every  interest,  every  department  of  think- 
ing and  action,  religious  and  political,  feel  its  benign  effect ! 
Who,  I  say,  can  propose  a  better  work  of  reform  than  this  ?  We 
will  shut  the  Bible  and  hear  what  is. — Whatever  other  societies 
we  may  think  it  our  duty  to  form,  or  patronise,  these  divine  soci- 
eties, these  institutions  of  Christ  himself,  must  by  no  means  be 
neglected  or  undervalued. 

Our  Lord  and  his  apostles  paid  great  respect  to  what  are 
called  the  stated  and  ordinary  mea7i$  of  grace.  They  ordained 
elders  in  every  city,  where  churches  existed,  whose  duty  it. 
was,  to  preach  the  gospel  statedly,  and  to  do  other  ministerial 
labor.  And  though  they  preached  on  all  convenient  occasions, 
they  allowed  a  paramount  importance  to  the  Sabbath.  Thus  we 
are  told  that  our  Savior  '  fts  his  custom  was,  went  into  the 
synagogue  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  for  to  read.'     Paul, 

*  Isaiah  2;  2—5. 


11 

'<is  his  manner  was,  went  in  unto  them,  and  three  Sabbath  days 
reasoned  with  them  out  of  the  Scriptures.'  'And  he  reasoned 
in  the  synagogues  every  Sabbath,  and  persuaded  the  Jews  and 
Greeks.  The  Sabbath  is  'the  Lord's  day.'  It  was  on  the 
Sabbath,  the  day  of  pentecost,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  poured 
out,  and  three  thousand  were  converted.  More  souls  have  been 
converted  probably,  and  will  be  hereafter,  by  means  of  the 
Sabbath  and  a  stated  ministry,  than  by  whatever  means  beside. 

To  the  Sabbath,  then,  and  a  stated  ministry,  must  our  thoughts, 
prayers,  and  hopes,  habitually  turn  for  the  reviving  of  God's 
work,  and  the  world's  renewal.  Let  us  take  care  that  we  do 
not  dishonor  God,  by  neglecting /m  institutions,  or  withdrawing 
our  confidence  from  them,  while  we  pursue  '  measures'  of  our 
own,  which  we  imagine  to  be  more  effectual,  because  more  novel 
and  exciting. 

Once  more ;  those  primitive  reformers  looked  to  God  to  make 
their  endeavors  effectual.  They  relied,  habitually  and  simply, 
on  the  Spirit ;  deeply  feeling  that  '  neither  is  he  that  planteth 
any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the 
increase.'  Hence  they  were  much  in  prayer,  both  ministers  and 
churches.     And  we  must  do  the  same. 

These  I  suppose  to  be  those  '  old  paths,'  and  the  •  good  way,' 
wherein  we  ought  to  walk,  in  the  business  of  reform. 

It  may  now  be  proper  to  inquire  whether  we  are  i7i  those 
paths.  We  have  been  much  at  work  at  the  morals  of  the  land, 
latterly;  there  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  great  stir  of  reform 
among  us  :  and  it  is  very  possible,  that  in  the  excitement  of  our 
hopes  and  labors,  we  may  have  strayed  away,  in  some  things, 
from  the  wisdom  of  God.  The  inquiry,  though  it  may  not  be 
a  grateful  one,  may  nevertheless  be  salutary. 

Suffer  me  then  to  mention  some  things  which  are  new  ;  new, 
I  say,  whether  they  be  wise  or  unwise. 

In  the  promotion  of  revivals,  within  a  few  years  past,  we 
have  introduced  various  '  new  measures,''  of  a  very  exciting,  and 
some,  at  least,  of  a  very  questionable  character.  What  these 
measures  are  you  know,  and  the  results  you  know,  or  rather 
begin  to  know.  They  have  in  many  instances  added  large 
numbers  to  the  churches;  but  have  added   nothing  to  their 


12 

streno-th,  nothing  to  their  beauty.  The  introducers  of  them 
have  aimed  at  immediate  and  great  resuhs,  (unmindful  of 
remote  ones)  whether  genuine  ox  not,  and  have  proclaimed  them 
in  the  newspapers.  Our  former  sort  of  revivals,  continuing  for 
many  months,  perhaps  for  years,  and  producing  daily  their 
individual,  thoughtful,  personal  conversions,  have  been  deemed 
too  slow  a  work  for  us  :  we  have  converted  people  in  masses, 
in  the  gross,  by  carriage-loads ;  and  have  filled  the  churches 
with  them  :  we  have  cast  our  net  into  the  sea,  and  have  gather- 
ed of  every  kind  !  Or  rather  the?/  have  done  so,  of  whom  these 
things  are  true  ;  for  we  cannot  say  them  of  this  and  many  other 
sections  of  the  land. 

How  far  the  things  in  question,  where  they  have  occurred, 
have  done  violence  to  the  habits  of  the  people,  and  to  the  order 
of  the  churches;  desecrated  the  pulpit:  vitiated  the  popular 
taste ;  emboldened  infidels ;  unsettled  ministers  ;  multiplied 
itinerants ;  caused  divsions ;  and  brought  death,  or  languor  and 
consumption,  on  the  churches,  the  most  of  you  are,  1  suppose, 
aware.  They  have  brought  discredit  on  revivals.  I  almost 
fear  they  have  put  a  period  to  them, — at  least  for  some  melan- 
choly years.  For  while  some  churches  have  run  out  of  their 
wits  in  one  direction,  others,  alarmed,  have  retired  to  the  oppo- 
site cold  extreme;  and  from  both,  as  we  have  reason  to  fear,  the 
Spirit  has  departed — grieved  by  the  distrust  and  coldness  of  the 
one,  and  scandalized  by  the  extravagancies  of  the  other.* 

It  has  been  one  of  the  effects  of  these  measures,  that  they 
have  brought  the  ordinary  means  of  grace  into  disesteem. 
Christians  have  reserved  all  their  zeal,  and  sinners,  all  their 
purposes  and  hopes,  for  some  extraordinary  occasion  which  is 
to  be  attended  with  extraordinary  results,  while  the  weekly 
sabbath  and  the  stated  pastor,  have  been  regarded  with  indiffer- 
ence. One  of  the  leading  religious  newspapers  lately  pro- 
claimed the  opinion  that  revivals  are  not  to  be  looked  for,  ex- 
cept in  connection  with  protracted  meetings,  and  that  these 
meetings  are  not  successful  except  under  the  management  of 
evangelists,  or  of  clergymen  from  abroad,  whose  labors  are, 
for  the  time  being,  equivalent  to  those  of  evangelists  ;  and  that 

*  Note  A . 


13 

therefore  souls  arc  not  to  be  converted,  in  any  considerable 
nunibers,  except  by  means  of  protracted  meetings  and  evangel- 
ists. It  is  probable  that  thousands  of  readers  received  the 
opinion  for  truth.  They  were  prepared  to  receive  it,  having 
acted  on  it  already.  But  what  then  becomes  of  the  wisdom  of 
God  in  the  appointment  of  the  ordinary  means  of  grace  1  Of 
what  peculiar  importance  is  the  Sabbath,  with  its  stated  minis- 
trations and  ordinances?  They  must  be  new  paths  that  lead  to 
such  conclusions  as  these. 

In  the  business  of  reform,  generally,  we  have  a  great  deal  of 
what  is  called  machinery  and  agitation.  Combination  is  the 
power ;  vehement  discussion,  invective,  and  agitation,  are  the 
manner  ;  and  '  going  ahead,'  the  supposed  result. 

The  gospel,  in  its  appropriate  institutions  and  modes  of  oper- 
ating, has  been  deemed  an  inefficient  system  ; — superannuated; 
inapplicable  to  the  times  :  '  it  decayeth  and  waxeth  old,  and  is 
ready  to  vanish  away.'  It  is  too  general  in  its  aims;  and  we 
have  therefore  formed  and  multiplied  societies  of  a  more  spe- 
cific character,  in  reference  to  almost  every  particular  immoral- 
ity,— Seventh  Command  Societies;  Fourth  Command  Socie- 
ties, (Sabbath  Unions,  as  they  are  called;)  Retrenchment 
Societies  :  Plain  Dress  Societies  ;  Total  Abstinence  Societies  ; 
Anti-Slavery,  and,  as  some  will  say,  Pro-Slavery  Societies;  and 
I  know  not  how  many.  There  is  room  for  a  hundred  and 
more  ;  for  there  is  no  end  to  the  sins  that  require  correction.  I 
merely  give  the  catalogue,  without  discussing  the  merits  of 
these  associations  at  all.  I  intend  no  offence.  I  can  see  much 
benevolence  in  all  of  them,  and  in  some  of  them  much  good. 

The  gospel  is  too  slow  in  its  operations  ;  too  calm  in  its  tem- 
per;  it  is  not  hot  enough,  for  the  times;  it  has  no  arrows  sharp 
enough  for  the  heart  of  the  king's  enemies, — such  monstrous 
ones  as  we  now  have  to  deal  with  ;  it  is  too  sparing  of  epithets  ; 
it  is  not  bold,  and  vehement,  and  sweeping  enough,  in  its  de- 
nunciations :  it  asks  no  fire  from  heaven  to  come  down  and 
consume  the  adversaries  !  Oh  for  '  a  voice  like  a  VOLCA- 
NO ;  and  for  wards  that  shall  SCORCH  and  BURN  like 
drops  of  MELTED  LAVA,'  upon  the  sinner!  This  is  the 
way  we  pray  in  these  days.     And  we  talk  of  '  scourging  the 


14 

guilty  men  into  obedience  to  the  comnaands  of  God,  with  a 
whip  of  scorjnoiisJ 

Oh  what  a  poor  reformer,  for  these  times,  would  He  be,  of 
Avhom,  for  his  gentleness,  it  was  said,  '  He  shall  not  strive,  nor 
cry;  neither  shall  any  man  hear  his  voice  in  the  streets.  A 
bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and  smoking  flax  he  shall  not 
quench,  till  he  send  forth  judgment  unto. victory  ! '  And  what 
an  unseasonable  counsellor  were  Paul,  for  such  wicked  times 
as  these  !  '  The  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive  ;  but  be 
gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to  teach,  patient,  in  meekness  instruct- 
ing those  that  oppose  themselves;  if  God  peradventure  will 
give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth.'  And 
what  a  tame  thing  is  chari^!  '  Charity  sufTereth  long,  and  is 
kind:  [it  is  not  the  thing  for  us,  then,]  charity  envieth  not; 
charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up ;  [it  is  not  the  thing 
for  us,  then ;  it  would  be  quite  out  of  keeping  with  our  re- 
ports and  speeches,]  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh 
not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked;  [away  with  it  then;  for 
wrath  is  the  thing  we  want,]  thinketh  no  evil;  rejoiceth  not  in 
iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth ;  beareth  all  things,  believeth 
all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.' 

It  is  a  part  of  the  reforming  policy  of  these  times,  to  coerce 
men,  by  assailing  their  character  and  interests.  How  often 
have  we  been  called  on,  in  public  assemblies,  and  in  the  news- 
papers, to  have  no  dealings,  no  society  whatever,  with  certain 
descriptions  of  transgressors.  And  we  are  asked  to  form  soci- 
eties, with  a  pledge  to  this  effect.  Our  Savior  did  not  so.  He 
conversed  freely  with  all  sorts  of  persons,  not  excepting  the 
vilest ;  having  a  view  to  their  benefit.  Instead  of  abhorring 
and  shunning  them,  and  giving  them  over  exclusively  to  the 
society  of  the  wicked,  he  kindly  received,  instructed,  and  ad- 
monished them  ;  remarking  that  these  are  the  very  persons  who 
most  need  the  judicious  attentions  of  the  virtuous.  '  They  that 
be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick-'  He 
even  ate  with  publicans  and  sinners — to  the  great  scandal  of 
the  pharisees.* 

We  make  great  use  of  railing  and  invective.     The  severest 

*  iMat.  9  -.  10—13.     John  4  :  6—2!;). 


15 

terms,  and  combinations  of  terms,  which  the  dictionary  or  syn- 
tax knows,  are  employed,  by  speakers  and  editors,  to  express 
their  benevolent  indignation  at  iniquity;  and  the  thronged  as- 
sembly, and  the  land,  .respond  with  applause.  We  have  seen 
in  our  cities  the  most  crowded  assemblies,  held  nightly,  in  op- 
position to  each  other,  meeting  against  meeting,  inflamed  to  the 
utmost,  by  speeches,  and  applauses,  and  hisses,  till  midnight ; 
and  then  they  have  come  abroad  into  the  country  to  solicit  our 
peaceful  pulpits,  that  they  might  bring  their  distractions  hither. 

Much  is  said  by  our  reformers  about  the  power  of  combina- 
tion, and  of  fuhlic  opinion.  And  the  union  of  good  and  wise 
rnen,  for  good  ends,  under  proper  responsibilities,  is,  no  doubt, 
a  good  thing.  Union  is  strength.  But  when  we  consider  that 
in  the  combinations  we  are  forming,  for  moral  purposes,  are 
men  of  the  most  diverse  moral  sentiments, — when  upon  the 
same  platform  are  brought  together,  to  act  upon  the  most  im- 
portant and  delicate  questions,  men  who  profess  Christ,  with 
men  that  are  ashamed  of  him,  prayerless  men  and  praying 
men,  politicians,  and  men  of  religious  zeal ;  and  when  it  is 
seen  that  these  societies  naturally  attract  to  them  many  of  those 
heated  and  ambitious  spirits  whose  element  is  disorder,  I  can- 
not but  regard  the  healthful  action  of  such  associations,  for  any 
considerable  period,  as  very  questionable. 

To  me  nothing  is  plainer  than  that  no  man  who  is  at  heart 
an  enemy  to  God,  can  be  true  and  hearty  in  any  real  work  of 
reform.  He  may,  from  motives  of  his  own,  go  with  you  a  cer- 
tain way,  and  for  a  while;  but,  first  or  last,  he  will  either  em- 
barrass your  counsels,  or  turn  against  you.  It  may  be  possible 
to  enlist  a  host  of  such,  but  they  are  not  to  be  depended  on. 
They  belong  to  the  other  camp  ;  and  if  they  do  not  parade 
there  at  beat  of  drum,  they  will  go  over  in  the  conflict.  The 
only  real,  conscientious  reformers  in  this  world  are  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ.  Christ  himself  has  declared  this.  '  He  that  is 
not  with  me,  is  against  me;  and  he  that  gatherethnot  with  me, 
scattereth'  And  who  is  with  him  1  This  also  is  settled.  '  He 
that  hath  my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  il  is  that 
loveth  me.'  * 

*  Note  B. 


16 

I  cannot  forbear  remarking  here,  in  regard  to  these  hetero- 
geneous associations,  that  whatever  evils  may  result  from  them, 
the  church  will  be  regarded,  by  an  uncharitable  world,  as  re- 
sponsible. If  they  do  well,  the  praise  will  be  awarded  to  them  ; 
but  if  ill,  the  odium  will  come  on  the  church.  It  is  these  chris- 
tians, these  fanatics,  will  the  world  say,  that  have  done  the 
mischief. 

And  another  remark  I  must  make  here,  lest  I  should  seem  to 
disapprove  of  all  voluntary  societies  for  the  promotion  of  reli- 
gion and  morality.  Such  societies  may  be  divided  into  two 
classes  ;  which  may  be  distinguished  as  the  Benevolent,  and 
the  Moral  or  Reformatory.  The  first  class,  namely  the  Mis- 
sionary, Bible,  Education,  and  the  others  kindred  to  these,  are 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  diffusing  the  knowledge  of  salvation, 
and  establishing  the  kingdom  of  Christ  throughout  the  earth. 
They  are  formed  in  compliance  with  the  command,  '  Go  ye  into 
all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature ; '  and 
they  offer  the  churches  a  convenient  way,  the  best,  probably,  of 
fulfilling  that  command.  They  were  created  by  the  churches  ; 
are  identified  with  them  ;  are  sustained  by  them;  and  are  act- 
ing for  them,  and  in  their  name.  Nothing  is  more  noble  than 
the  object  of  these  Institutions,  Nothing  is  more  worthy  of 
support.  And  it  is  with  reference  to  their  present  embarrass- 
ments, as  one  of  our  objects,  that  we  have  set  apart  this  season 
of  prayer. 

The  other  class  of  societies  are  of  a  different  character. 
Their  field  is  different,  To  establish  and  build  up  christian 
churches  in  destitute  places,  and  in  heathen  lands  ;  to  '  publish 
salvation,'  and  evangelize  the  world,  is  not  their  object ;  but 
they  labor  in  particular  departments  of  reform.  Their  field  is 
the  christian  community.  They  seek,  in  the  presence  of  chris- 
tian churches,  to  exterminate  particular  sins.  And  though  all 
may  admit  that  their  object  is  important,  they  by  no  means 
carry  the  convictions  of  a  harmonious  community  with  them, 
as  to  the  propriety  of  their  organization  and  the  wisdom  of  their 
policy.* 

I  draw  this  line  between  these  two  classes  of  societies,  and 
leave  it  for  reflection.! 

*  Note  C.  t  Note  D. 


17 

As  to  reforming  the  world  by  the  action  of  public  opinion,  it 
has  appeared  to  me  the  greatest  absurdity.  Public  opinion  is 
the  opinion  of  this  world.  The  world  is  loicked ;  and  there- 
fore so  is  public  opinion  ;  and  it  is  in  vain  to  look  for  a  healing 
virtue  in  such  an  agent.     The  stream  is  like  the  fountain.* 

As  one  of  the  consequences  of  the  multiplication  of  societies, 
the  land  is  filled  with  their  lecturers  and  agents.  It  is  scarcely 
extravagant  to  say,  the  public  conveyances  are  loaded  with 
them.  We  are  endeavoring  to  raise  up  young  men  for  the 
ministry ;  but  while  we  do  this,  a.  large  number  of  ministers 
are  leaving  the  appropriate  work  of  the  ministry  to  go  up  and 
down  as  lecturers.  I  do  not  question  their  motives  :  they  are 
my  beloved  brethren,  and  I  speak  of  them  with  respect.  Nor 
is  it  modest,  perhaps,  to  question  their  wisdom.  If  they  think 
they  are  engaged  in  a  work  which  is  more  important  than 
preaching  the  gospel,  more  becoming,  more  agreeable,  more 
consistent  with  those  solemn  obligations  which  they  are  sup- 
posed to  have  taken  on  them  at  their  ordination,  it  is  not  for  me 
to  question  their  right  of  judging  for  themselves.  But  for 
myself,  such  are  my  views  of  the  comparative  importance  of 
the  work  they  have  left  and  the  work  they  have  assumed,  that, 
as  a  lover  of  my  country,  and  the  world,  I  would  rather  have 
seventy  faithful  ministers,  in  seventy  vacant  parishes,  in  seventy 
destitute  places  at  the  west,  or  at  seventy  missionary  stations, 
than  to  have  three  times  seventy  lecturers  on  any,  the  most 
important,  of  the  topics  which  occupy  them. 

It  is  the  wisdom  of  one  class  of  our  reformers  to  enlighten 
the  world  in  regard  to  its  iniquities.  When  our  Savior  sent 
forth  his  reformers,  how  did  he  instruct  them  ?  Did  he  bid 
them  go  into  all  the  retirements  of  sin,  into  the  sinks,  and  dens, 
and  chambers  of  wickedness,  especially  of  lewdness,  and  bring 
out  what  they  found,  in  the  most  minute  and  graphic  descrip- 
tions to  the  public?  Go,  tell  the  ignorant,  the  curious,  the 
simple,  the  young,  the  wanton  and  the  chaste,  what  things 
are  done  of  them  in  secrect,  and  hoiv  they  are  done?  Make 
collections  of  obscene  pictures  and  publicly  exhibit  them;  or 
distribute  them  about  the  country  ?      He  bid   them  no   such 

'Note  E. 


18 

thing.  Such  was  not  the  light  which  he  would  have  them 
shed  on  men.  But,  assuming  that  the  world  was  wicked,  every- 
where wicked, — that  all  men  knew  this,  they  showed  unto  them 
that  they  should  repent  and  '  turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet 
for  repentance.' 

The  wisdom  of  the  Bible  is,  'Keep  thy  heart  with  all  dili- 
gence, for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life.'  The  wisdom  of  our 
pious  fathers  was,  to  keep  bad  books  aijd  pictures  from  their 
young  people.  But  the  wisdom  of  these  times  is,  to  fill  the 
eyes,  the  ears,  the  imagination,  with  the  most  polluting  things — 
by  way  of  enlightening  and  keeping  pure  the  uncorrupted. 
Their  object  is  prevention* 

A  few  more  things  I  must  mention,  as  characteristics  of  the 
age. 

The  immodest  j)rcte7isions  of  some  of  our  reformers.  They 
go  in  advance  of  the  gospel.  How  often  have  1  heard  it  used 
as  an  argument  and  a  remonstrance  with  us,  when  we  have 
hesitated  to  admit  their  lecturers  to  our  pulpits,  that  the  gospel 
never  can  prevail  till  their  societies  have  cleared  its  way.  '  Is 
not  this  sin,  and  that  sin,  (say  they)  its  greatest  obstacle  ?  How 
can  the  gospel  prevail  so  long  as  there  is  so  much  lewdness  ; 
so  much  war  ;  so  much  slavery,  &c.  ?  Must  not  we  do  away 
these  things  before  it  can  advance?'  But  what  then?  Are 
your  societies  to  precede  '  the  church  of  the  living  God,'  and 
achieve  the  victory,  and  claim  the  triumph  ?  And  is  the  gos- 
pel to  follow  you  as  a  humble  gleaner  ?  We  must  tell  yon,  as 
our  conviction,  on  the  contrary,  that  your  societies  can  do  noth- 
ing without  the  gospel.  The  sins  you  seek  to  remove  will 
never  be  done  away  till  they  fall  by  those  weapons  which  are 
not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  p'uUing  down  of 
strong  holds.  Those  weapons  are  the  doctrines,  spirit,  and 
institutions,  of  Christianity.  So  far  as  these  prevail,  the  objects 
you  have  in  view  are  gained;  and  no  farther. 

Again,  the  exclusive  zeal,  of  some  of  them.  They  have 
embarked  in  one  particular  enterprise,  and  appear  to  be  inter- 
ested in  no  other.  They  have  determined  not  to  give  to  any 
other.  What  though  our  Savior  has  commanded  that  the  gos- 
pel be  preached  to  every  creature  1     With  the  fulfilment  of  that 

*Note  F. 


19 

command,  universally,  they  do  not  concern  themselves.  The 
whole  heathen  world  lies  without  their  line.  They  appear  to 
^rfl.y  but  for  one  object.  They  have  their  own  monthly  con- 
cert, which  they  are  careful  to  attend  ;  but  at  other  prayer 
meetings,  they  are  seldom  seen.  Meetings  are  held  on  the 
first  Monday  evening  of  the  month,  to  pray  for  the  conversion 
of  the  world ;  but  T  fear  they  are  not  there :  for  why  should 
they  pray  for  an  object  from  which  they  withhold  their  contri- 
butions ?  The  church  of  which  they  are  members  has  its 
weekly  prayer  meeting  ;  but  they  are  seldom  if  ever  there.  To 
the  local  duties  and  interests  of  the  church,  its  peace,  and  edifi- 
cation, and  increase,  they  appear  to  have  no  mind. — And  they 
not  only  withhold  their  aid  from  other  objects,  but  they  directly 
decry  them.* 

But  are  these  the  old  poAhs,  brethren  ?  Did  the  primitive 
christians  walk  so  1  Can  your  zeal  for  one  good  object,  how- 
ever important,  excuse  you  from  the  promotion  of  every  other? 
'  Put  them  in  mind  (says  Paul)  to  be  ready  to  every  good 
work  ; '  not  to  one  only. 

I  have  been  struck  with  the  boldness  of  some  of  these  re- 
formers; in  their  irreverent  treatment  of  sacred  things.  They 
have  instituted  terms  of  church  membership, — legislating  over 
Christ  himself,  and  prescribing  laws  to  his  house.  They  have 
carried  their  reform  even  to  his  table  ;  with  sacrilegious  hands 
removing  the  element  which  he  has  placed  upon  it,  as  the 
memorial  of  his  blood,  and  supplying  their  own  insipid  and 
nameless  liquids  in  its  stead  !  And  I  have  heard  of  one  of 
our  most  prominent  reformers  having  for  a  long  time  refused 
to  partake  of  the  supper,  because  of  the  cup  ;  which  he  says  is 
the  cup  of  devils.  The  Bible,  as  it  has  appeared  to  me,  was 
nevermore  deceitfully  handled,  or  more  rudely  treated,  even  by 
infidels  themselves,  than  it  has  been  by  men  who  claim  to  be 
the  great  lights  of  the  age.  '  If  I  believed  (said  one  of  them) 
that  the  Bible  differed  from  me,  [in  regard  to  a  certain  subject] 
I  would  throw  it  into  the  fire:  '  But  do  you  mean,'  said  the 
person  addressed,  '  that  if  it  could  be  shown  that  the  bible  differs 
from  your  present  judgment  in  regard  to   that  subject,  you 

*  Note  G. 


20 

would  throw  it  into  the  fire?  '  '  Yes,  I  mean  that.'  If,  said 
another  reverend  reformer,  I  thought  the  Bible  permitted  the 
use  of  wine,  I  would  hum  the  bible  ! 

Strange  doctrines  are  taught,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  extensive- 
ly advocated,  in  regard  to  human  government, — doctrines  sub- 
versive of  all  authority,  civil,  ecclesiastical,  and  parental.* 

Finally  ;  effects  are  traceable  to  causes.  And  perhaps  we 
may  discern  what  kind  of  wisdom  and  spirit  are  abroad  in 
the  present  moral  condition  of  the  land.  What  is  that  condi- 
tion 1  I  am  at  a  loss  what  to  say  of  it,  or  how  to  express  the 
sorrow  and  concern  we  ought  to  feel  in  view  of  it.  Never,  I 
believe,  Avas  religious  knowledge  so  generally  superficial. 
Never  was  there  so  great  a  paucity  of  theological  ideas.  Nev- 
er, in  this  country,  were  there  so  many,  or  so  great  distractions. 
Never,  I  apprehend,  were  the  churches,  the  land  over,  so  spir- 
itually dead ;  or  the  irreligious  portion  of  the  people  more 
thoughtless,  immoral,  and  unbelieving.  What  striking  indi- 
cations are  there,  of  deep-seated  disease  in  our  social  and  reli- 
gious system  !  What  restlessness,  what  feverish  excitability  on 
a  thousand  subjects  ;  and  yet,  on  the  subject  of  spiritual  reli- 
gion, what  languor  and  death  !  And  why  is  this  1  How  came 
we  to  be  in  this  condition  1  Has  there  not  been  zeal  enough, 
and  «c^io?i  enough,  to  have  produced  a  better  result?  Yes, 
there  has  been  enough.  But  the  question  is,  Has  it  been  of 
the  right  hind  of  zeal  and  action  ?  Is  this  wisdom  from  above  ?  f 
My  friends,  the  public  mind  is  too  much  excited.  It  is  dis- 
tracted with  too  many  objects.  It  needs  to  be  liberated,  and 
calmed,  that  it  may  be  able  to  reflect.  It  needs  that  the  multi- 
plicity of  subjects  which  divide  and  harrass  it  should  be  with- 
drawn, that  it  may  give  its  attention  to  the  one  thing  needful; 
and  that  the  clamors  of  strife  should  subside,  that  the  voice  of 
religion  may  be  heard. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  Why  are  there  no  revivals'? 
There  is  no  room  for  them.  How  can  religion  be  revived  when 
all  our  time,  and  thoughts,  and  passions  are  employed  on  other 

*  Note  H. 

-  fl  cannot  forbear  referring  the  reader  to  the  third  chapter  of  James  as  pecu- 
liarly seasonable  at  the  present  time. 


21 

subjects;  or  being  revived,  how  could  it  continue  so?  Sup- 
pose it  had  pleased  God,  within  the  last  six  months,  to  pour  out 
his  Spirit  here,  and  revive  his  work  :  how  often, —  had  we  been 
willing  to  entertain  all  the  lecturers  that  might  have  proposed 
to  address  us, — would  our  solemn  meetings  have  been  inter- 
rupted, and  our  attention  diverted,  by  subjects  foreign  to  such  a 
season  ?  * 

I  have,  my  friends,  spoken  of  these  things  freely;  perhaps 
unwisely ;  perhaps  unsuitably  to  the  present  occasion  :  but,  I 
am  sure,  with  grief,  and  I  trust  with  an  honest  mind.  What 
regard  the  suggestions  I  have  made  are  worthy  of,  you  will 
judge  for  yourselves. 

But  when  we  are  reviewing  our  sins  as  a  people,  andinquir- 
after  the  causes  of  God's  displeasure  with  us,  it  appears  to  me 
that  the  matters  1  have  spoken  of  should  be  among  the  things 
which  should  come  under  our  review.  If  we  have  forsaken 
the  '  old  paths,'  and  have  run  in  new  ones  of  our  own  ;  if  we 
have  offered  strange  fire  before  the  Lord,  which  he  commanded 
us  not ;  if  the  land  is  filled  with  our  inventions  and  distrac- 
tions; and  religion  lies  neglected  and  dishonored,  are  not  these 
among  the  sins  which  demand  inquiry  and  repentance?  Is  it 
our  OTo?-rt/s  only  that  need  amendment ;  and  not  also  our  doc- 
trines, our  spirit,  and  our  measures?  It  does  appear  to  me 
that  it  is  time  the  voice  of  inquiry  should  be  raised  in  regard 
to  these  things.  It  is  time,  surely,  that  those  who  fear  God, 
and  are  concerned  for  the  truth  and  kingdom  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  should  '  stand  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old 
paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein.' 

I  could  wish  now,  in  concluding,  if  the  time  permitted,  to 
call  your  attention  more  particularly  to  the  special  duties  which 
concern  us  in  reference  to  ourselves.  But  I  have  already  been 
long,  and  must  add  but  a  few  words  more. 

The  state  of  religion  in  these  churches  is  confessedly  low. 
Though  a  good  degree  of  harmony  exists  in  them,  and  between 
them,  yet  we  are  very  culpable  in   respect  to  our  worldliness, 

*Nole  I. 


22 

and  want  of  fervor  in  our  Master's  service.  And  though  the 
state  of  morals  here  is  better  than  in  many,  and  perhaps  most 
other  communities,  yet  we  have  reason  to  fear  that  it  is  not 
improving.  It  is  at  least  painfully  apparent  that  none  are  con- 
verted. 

And  in  view  of  this  state  of  things  what  is  it  our  duty  to  do? 
Let  us  awake  from  our  slumbers.  Let  us  return  from  our 
back-slidings.  Let  us  recall  our  affections  from  the  world,  and 
dismiss  our  superfluous  cares.  And  if  any  such  things  as 
dissentions,  animosities,  and  evil  speaking  exist,  let  them  be 
laid  aside ;  and,  forsaking  the  wisdom  that  is  earthly,  let  us 
possess  that  which  is  from  above,  which  is  pure,  peaceable, 
gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits, 
without  partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy.  Who  is  aAvise  man 
and  endued  with  knowledge  among  you?  let  him  shew  out 
of  a  good  conversation  his  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom. 

Let  us  seek  the  reviving  of  God's  work  i?i  these  churches. 
What  better  thing  can  we  do  than  this  ?  What  better  thing  for 
ourselves  ?  What  better  thing  for  our  families  ;  our  dear  chil- 
dren and  youth,  growing  up  in  their  sins ;  the  community 
around  us;  our  sister  churches;  our  nation;  the  cause  of 
christian  benevolence;  and  the  world  at  large?  What  work 
can  we  engage  in  more  pleasing  to  God,  or  acceptable  to 
Christ?  I  am  sure  we  must  all  be  agreed  in  this.  However 
we  may  differ  on  other  subjects,  we  all  must  confess,  if  we 
reflect  at  all,  that  there  is  nothing  more  desirable  than  the  revi- 
ving of  God's  work  in  the  midst  of  us  :  and  I  feel  myself 
authorized  and  constrained  to  call  on  all  Avho  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  delight  in  the  prosperity  of  Zion  ;  on  all  who 
pray ;  on  all  who  feel  that  they  have  souls  to  be  saved  ;  or 
children  and  friends  to  be  converted ;  or  are  concerned  for  the 
salvation  of  others ;  or  are  regardful  in  any  respect  of  the  best 
interests  of  men,  whether  temporal  or  eternal,  to  turn  their, 
hearts,  and  their  endeavors  to  such  a  work. 


NOTES. 


Note  A. 

I  should  be  sorry  if  any  should  infer  from  the  extravagances 
here  alluded  to,  that  no  revivals  are  genuine.  I  can  no  more 
doubt  their  reality,  as  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  than  1  can 
disbelieve  the  record  of  the  day  of  pentecost.  Revivals  are 
often  mentioned  in  the  Bible;  they  have  occurred  at  every 
period  of  the  church  ;  and  I  doubt  not  will  hereafter  occur, 
and  become  more  frequent,  and  powerful,  and  pure,  till 'the 
earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea.'  But  that  there  are  also  spurious  religious 
exciUments  cannot  be  doubted.  Their  results  will  show  their 
character.  Why  should  there  not  be  spurious  revivals  as  well 
as  spurious  individual  conversions  ;  and  why  should  not  the 
former  be  exposed  and  guarded  against,  as  well  as  the  latter  ? 
•Believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  are 
of  God  ;  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the 
world.'  Revivals  generally  in  this  country,  and  especially  in 
New  England,  have  been  of  a  happy  character.  Thousands 
on  earth,  and  tens  of  thousands  in  heaven,  have  blessed  God 
for  them ;  and  will  do  so  forever. 

Note  B. 
True  religion  is  the  sum  of  moral  excellence.  It  comprises 
all  virtue,  and  of  course  is  the  enemy  of  every  sort  of  wicked- 
ness. And  it  comprises  the  best  means  for  promoting  virtue. 
There  are  no  motives  to  virtuous  practice  like  those  presented 
in  the  gospel.  If  you  would  reclaim  an  individual,  or  a  com- 
munity, from  any  particular  sin,  or  from  all  sin  ;  or  would 
train  up  a  virtuous  family,  there  is  nothing  to  your  purpose 
like  it.  It  would  seem,  then,  that  every  true  friend  of  virtue 
would  identify  himself  with  the  religion  of  Christ,  and  seek 
the  promotion  of  virtue  among  mankind  through  that  religion. 
He  that  sincerely  seeks  the  end  will  avail  himself  of  the  means. 


24 

It  is  freely  admitted  that  persons  who  are  not  religious  may 
lend  their  influence,  and  that  zealously,  against  particular  sins. 
And  they  may  do  it  from  commendable  motives.  They  may 
do  it  from  a  conviction  that  the  sins  in  question  are  destructive 
of  the  interests  of  society.  They  may  do  it,  that  is,  as  citizens 
and  neighbors.  There  are  many  who  feel  annoyed  by  sin  as 
citizens,  who  are  not  annoyed  by  it  as  moral  beings,  or  as  lovers 
of  virtue  simply.  Their  own  peace,  and  probably  their  pecu- 
niary interests,  are  concerned  in  the  removal,  or  abatement,  of 
those  sins.  And  so  far  as  such  motives  are  estimable,  their 
conduct  is  meritorious.  They  deserve  well  of  the  community, 
and  are  entitled  to  their  proper  tribute  of  praise.  But  Virtue 
herself  can  hardly  claim  them  as  hers;  nor  can  she  expect  that 
they  will  go  any  farther  ia  her  service  than  their  worldly 
motives  will  carry  them. 

There  is  one  motive  by^which  many,  I  fear,  who  join  our 
reform  societies,  are  actuated,  which  is  not  virtuous,  at  least  in 
the  sight  of  God;  and  of  which  themselves  are  probably 
unconscious.  I  mean  self-righteousness.  They  have  not  grace 
enough  to  become  the  humble  and  devoted  followers  of  Jesus, 
and  to  walk  as  he  walked, — the  friends  o( universal  virtue;  but 
they  are  willing  to  join  with  others  in  a  popular  measure 
against  some  particular  sin,  or  sins,  Avhich  themselves  are  not 
inclined  to  practice, — though  they  are  chargeable  with  other, 
and  perhaps  equally  heinous  sins.  They  are  willing  to  pull 
out  motes  from  the  eyes  of  others,  while  a  beam  is  in  their  own. 
And  in  doing  this  they  easily  take  credit  to  themselves  as  being 
the  friends  of  virtue.  They  think  they  do  God  service  ;  and 
perhaps  imagine  that  they  are  even  more  engaged  in  his  ser- 
vice than  many  professors  of  religion  who  do  not  go  with  them 
in  their  particular  measures. 

The  effect  of  these  societies  in  fostering  a  feeling  of  self 
righteousness,  is  probably  much  like  that  of  the  old  '  half-way 
covenant.^  Under  that  economy,  a  person  was  admitted,  without 
regeneration,  to  a  visible  standing  in  the  church,  (though  not 
commonly  to  the  communion  table)  provided  he  was  outwardly 
moral,  and  'owned  the  covenant,'  i.  e.  gave  his  assent  to  certain 
religious  articles.  In  this  half-way  covenant  many  imagined 
they  were  half  way  to  heaven  ;  and  a  sort  of  pharisees  were 
multiplied  wherever  this  error  was  adopted.  An  old  gentleman 
said  to  me,  '  As  a  half-way  covenant  member  of  the  church,  my 
spiritual  state,  as  I  now  look  upon  it,  was  as  dangerous  as  can 
well  be  conceived.  I  was  nominally  a  member  of  the  church 
of  Christ ;  my  children  were  baptized  ;  I  was  outwardly  moral, 
even  more  moral,  as  I  believed,  [and  he  probably  was]  than 
many  who   were  communicants;  I  attended  Xo  some   religious 


25 

duties,  though   in  a  formal  way  :  and  I   was  offended  if  any- 
doubted  my  title  to  the  favor  of  God.' 

Now  compare  this  case  with  the  one  before  us.  Persons 
joining-  these  societies  are  enrolled  with  the  people  of  C4od. 
They  stand  among  them,  and  act  with  them.  Not  indeed  in 
the  church,  but  in  a  society  professedly  engaged,  not  less  than 
the  church,  in  the  service  of  God.  They  are  there  where  the 
battle  of  the  Lord  is  fighting;  and  are  zealous  and  loud  in  the 
conflict.  And  how  natural  must  it  be  to  apply  to  themselves 
those  promises  which  arc  intended  for  the  heirs  of  heaven.  '  I 
am  a  member  of  a  peace  society  ;  and  '  blessed  are  the  peace- 
makers; for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God.'  I  am 
engaged  in  '  moral  reform  ; '  and  '  blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart ; 
for  they  shall  see  God.'  'Blessed  are  the  merciful ;  for  they 
shall  obtain  mercy : '  and  who  more  merciful  than  we  who  are 
endeavoring  to  break  every  yoke  and  let  the  oppressed  go  free? 
I  go  beyond  even  many  professors  of  religion,  and  am  applaud- 
ed, while  they  are  reproved.  I  am  written  on  the  catalogue  of 
the  good  ;  and  can  thank  God  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are, 
extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  &c.' 

I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  a  spirit  of  self-righteousness 
appear  in  the  land  commensurate  with  the  currency  of  these 
societies :  and  self-righteousness,  too,  of  the  most  unamiable 
kind, — the  offspring,  not  of  decencies  and  forms,  but  of  an  impe- 
rious and  denouncing  zeal. 

And  as  in  the  case  of  the  half-way  covenant,  it  was  the  unre- 
generate  that  opposed  its  discontinuance,  so  I  predict  that  it 
will  be  irreligious  (I  do  not  say  immoral)  men  who  will  be 
first  and  loudest  to  object  to  the  discontinuance  of  these  societies. 
And  this  for  the  reason  mentioned — that  it  will  put  out  their 
light  as  reformers, — that  it  will  disconnect  them  from  the  visible 
service  of  God,  and  despoil  them  of  their  righteousness. 

And  also  for  another  reason.  Many  who  are  enrolled  in 
these  societies,  or  are  favorable  to  them,  love  them  for  the  enter- 
tainment they  afford.  They  love  these  lectures  and  addresses 
because  they  are  novel,  exciting,  eloquent,  enlivened  with  anec- 
dote, sharpened  with  satire,  and  addressed  to  their  prejudices 
and  passions.  They  love  their  details  of  wickedness;  reveal- 
ing as  they  do,  the  debaucheries  of  cities,  and  the  cruelties  of 
the  task-master.  And  (to  bring  in  the  motive  of  self-righteous- 
ness again)  they  feel  a  complacency  in  hearing  the  sins  of 
others  condemned,  because  it  flatters  themselves,  and  makes 
them  forgetful  of  their  own.  It  is  easy  to  see  ourselves  virtu- 
ous, if  we  make  the  sins  of  others  our  mirror. 

4 


26 


Note  C. 

I  cannot  help  looking  upon  the  existence  of  a  society  for  the 
promotion  of  morals,  in  the  presence  of  a  christian  church,  as 
a  reproach  to  that  church,  as  an  institution  of  Christ.  If  the 
society  be  composed  of  believers  alone,  then  they  are  already  a 
society,  as  an  organized  church  :  and  supposing  the  church  is 
designed  for  the  promotion  of  good  morals,  as  one  of  the 
essential  ends  of  existence,  why  do  they  form  themselves  into 
another  society  for  the  same  end, — unless  they  mean  to  imply 
that  the  institution  of  Christ  is  defective,  and  that  their  own  is 
better?  If  composed  of  believers  and  unbelievers,  then  in 
what  respect  is  the  church  the  '  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  light 
of  the  world  ?'  Let  us  suppose  that  Paul,  when  he  had  gath- 
ered a  church,  had  immediately  surrounded  it  with  a  number 
of  moral  societies, — one  for  the  promotion  of  peace;  another, 
for  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  another,  chastity,  «fec.  For 
what  has  he  organized  the  church?  For  what  is  it  there?  To 
what  purpose  does  it  exist  ? 

If  it  were  not  becoming  or  expedient  in  Paul,  to  form  such 
associations,  I  ask  for  the  reasons  of  their  being  formed  now. 
Will  any  answer  me  this?  I  make  the  inquiry  honestly,  and 
would  be  glad  of  light:  What  are  the  circumstances  which 
make  it  expedient  to  form  these  societies  now,  though  it  was 
not  expedient  to  form  them  in  primitive  times  ? 

Note  D. 

The  only  point  where  I  have  hesitated,  in  drawing  this  line, 
is  its  bearing  on  the  Temperance  Society.  Here  I  have  hesi- 
tated Jong. 

But  I  can  separate,  if  I  must,  the  cause  of  Temperance  from 
the  Temperance  Society ;  as  I  can  separate  '  moral  reform ' 
from  the  Moral  Reform  Society,  or  '  human  rights'  from  the 
Anti-Slavery  Society.  That  is,  I  can  separate  the  cause  itself 
from  the  particular  mode  in  which  it  has  been  promoted. 
There  7nciy  be  some  other  mode  of  advancing  it,  more  wise  and 
efficient,  (our  zeal  being  equal)  than  that  which  has  been  pur- 
sued. It  is  possible  there  must  be,  if  the  cause  is  to  go  for- 
ward. For  it  does  not  seem  probable,  from  its  present  state, 
and  from  the  history  of  the  last  two  years,  or  more,  that  it  is 
to  be  advanced  much  further,  or  sustained  where  it  is,  by  the 
action,  or  rather  inaction,  of  the  Temperance  Society.  The 
merits  of  the  cause,  surely,  do  not  lie  in  our  present  precise 
mode  of  operating,  by  means  of  societies  and  pledges ;  nor  do 


27 

I  believe  that  its  strength  is  there ;  or  that  it  ever  has  been. 
Its  strength  is  in  fads  and  principtes.  And  these  remain  and 
are  available,  and  ever  will  be;  though  expedients  grow  old 
and  forms  change. 

We  may  admit  that  there  may  be,  as  I  have  said,  some  other 
manner  of  action,  without  at  all  abandoning  our  principles  as 
temperance  men,  or  yielding  the  ground  we  have  gained,  or 
releasing  any  man  from  his  duty  in  relation  to  this  cause,  or 
making  the  practice  of  selling  and  drinking  any  less  culpable; 
or,  as  I  believe,  putting  the  cause  back  in  any  degree.  If  I  am 
mistaken  in  this,  the  future  history  of  the  cause  will  show  it. 

I  have  not  time  to  express  my  thoughts  on  this  subject  as  I 
would;  nor  may  I  presume  upon  the  patience  of  my  readers. — 
The  Temperance  cause  has  done  nobly.  If  for  anything  we 
ought  to  be  thankful,  next  to  the  gospel  itself,  it  is  this.  It  has 
been  my  privilege  to  have  labored  in  this  good  cause  from  the 
beginning,  as  its  known  and  ardent,  though  humble  promoter. 
I  have  labored  with  others,  to  save  it  from  those  ill  advised 
counsels  which  have  well  nigh  ruined  it.  The  cause  now  lies 
on  the  ground.      Who  shall  lift  it  up  ? 

As  to  the  line  which  I  have  drawn,  it  must  be  drawn  some- 
where. There  must  be  some  limit  to  the  formation  of  societies  : 
we  must  dispense  with  some,  or  lose  all.  For  the  public  mind, 
distracted  with  the  number  of  them,  (which  is  likely  to  in- 
crease,) and  not  discriminating  between  them,  as  to  their  com- 
parative merits,  will  grow  weary  of  them  all.  Our  great 
societies  for  evangelizing  the  world  are  already  embarrassed 
by  the  multiplicity  and  forwardness  of  societies  of  another 
kind;  and  have  modestly  withdrawn  their  agents,  some  of  them 
entirely,  from  the  field. — If  any  one  can  draw  the  line  more 
properly  than  I  have  done  ;  or  show  that  we  have  room  enough 
for  all,  including  those  which  may  yet  be  born,  I  shall  be  sat- 
isfied- But  my  own  conviction  is,  that  the  family  is  too  large; 
that  some  are  illegitimate ;  and  that  the  alternative  before  us  is, 
diminution  or  starvation. 

Note  E. 

I  speak  of  employing  public  opinion  as  an  agent.  The 
enllghteniyig  of  public  opinion  by  diffusing  information  and 
right  views  among  the  people,  is  another,  and  a  very  impor- 
tant and  practicable  thing.  What  I  refer  to  is,  the  employing  it 
as  an  ew^'we,  to  harrass  and  put  down  transgressors.  As  an 
example  of  what  I  mean,  you  go  into  a  town  and  organize  a 
numerous  society  there,  with  reference  to  a  particular  sin.  It 
is  understood  that  the  action  of  that  society  shall  be  such,  that 
any  individual  who  may  have  been,  or  shall  be  guilty,  of  the 


28 

sin  in  view,  shall  be  made  uncomfortable.  He  shall  suffer  in 
his  feelings  and  in  his  interests.  He  shall  be  bowed  down  like 
a  bulrush.  He  shall  be  'lynched'  by  public  opinion,  and  put 
out  of  the  pale  of  common  civility  ;  and  all  who  sympathize 
with  him  shall  share  in  his  punishment.  Now  such  a  move- 
ment may  distress  the  guilty  person;  it  may  ,vex  and  make 
him  desperate  ;  but  is  little  likely  to  reform  him.  Nor  is  it 
likely  to  improve  the  general  spirit  of  kindness  and  good  will 
in  that  community.  And  it  will  be  no  strange  thing  if  a  reac- 
tion should  take  place  in  favor  of  the  sufferer.  And  then  not 
only  the  sinner,  but  the  sin  itself  is  countenanced.  The  truth 
is,  the  world  will  love  its  own — its  own  children  and  its  own 
custom.s,  and  is  sooner  disposed  to  shield,  than  to  punish  and 
destroy  them.  And  it  knows,  too,  that  a  house  divided  against 
itself  cannot  stand. 

Enlighten  public  opinior/as  much  as  you  will,  but  to  use  it 
as  an  engine,  which  many  are  attempting  to  do,  is  a  doubtful 
policy.  It  is  a  powerful  element,  which  it  is  safe  to  purify,  but 
dangerous  to  attempt  to  control ;  an  unmanageable  wind,  which, 
being  aroused  from  its  slumbers,  will  blow  as  it  lists,  and  pros- 
trate what  it  will. 

Note  F. 

McDowell's  collection  of  obscene  pictures,  et  cetera,  are  said 
to  have  cost  $-500.  They  probably  cost  more.  They  were 
kept  in  the  most  public  part  of  the  city,  and  during  the  anniver- 
saries, and  at  other  times,  were  open  for  inspection,  and  were 
visited  by  hundreds.  A  certain  minister  from  the  west  who 
had  been  a  large  contributor  to  McDowell's  Journal  told  me, 
for  my  amazement,  that  pedlars  were  accustomed  to  take  such 
pictures  along  with  them  for  secret  sale  ;  and  yet  to  my  greater 
amazement,  that  very  minister  bought  five  dollars  worth  of  those 
pictures,  at  McDowell's  office,  which  he  told  me  he  was  going 
to  distribute  through  western  Pennsylvania,  that  the  world 
might  see,  as  he  said,  what  wickedness  was  in  it.  Such  meet- 
ings as  were  held  by  the  Seventh  Command  Society,  females 
being  present,  would  have  shamed  the  theatre  itself — would 
have  put  the  very  harlots  of  the  city  to  the  blush. 

The  American  Moral  Reform  Society  professes  to  avoid  the 
errors  of  the  '  McDowell  school ; '  and  perhaps  it  will. 

Note  G. 

'  We  have  noticed  with  concern  and  surprise,  in  the  same 
publications,  statements  prejudicial  to  the  cause  of  foreign  mis- 
sions, particularly,  insinuations  against  the  character  and  meas- 
ures of  the  American  Board.'     Appeal  of  Andover  Students. 


29 

From  this  candid  and  commendable  document,  I  will  also 
quote  the  following. 

♦  We  have  observed  with  grief  in  some  anti-slavery  publica- 
tions, a  strain  of  remark  in  reference  to  the  gospel  ministry, 
fitted  to  impair  its  influence  and  destroy  its  functions,  unnecessary 
and  censurable  in  the  last  degree.' 

It  is  by  no  means  anti-slavery  speakers  and  writers  alone  that 
speak  ill  of  the  ministry  and  the  churches.  Almost  alTitinerants 
do  this.  And  this  is  one  objection  T  have  to  their  being  en- 
couraged. They  villify  the  church  and  its  ministry.  Thus 
the  lecturer  of  the  Peace  Society  is  careful  to  tell  us  that  the 
church  is  full  of  the  war  spirit.  The  lecturer  on  moral  reform 
tells  us  that  the  church  is  deep  in  the  sin  of  uncleanness  :  and 
so  of  the  rest.  And  putting  the  testimony  of  these  several 
gentlemen  together,  it  would  seem  that  the  church  must  be  very 
bad.  It  is  proper  that  the  sins  of  the  churches  should  be 
mentioned  and  reproved,  by  their  own  pastors;  but  this  bringing 
vague  and  general  charges  against  the  family  and  servants  of 
Christ,  is  severely  to  be  reprobated.  The  practice  is  mischiev- 
ous in  the  extreme.  It  is  ruinous  to  souls.  If  the  salt  have 
lost  its  savor,  it  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast 
out,  and  trodden  under  foot  of  men  ;  and  if  it  be  robbed  of  its 
savor  the  result  is  the  same. 

But  these  men  must  tell  a  good  story;  and  the  more  sacred 
the  character  assailed,  the  more  startling  the  effect.  Hence  the 
sins  not  only  of  church  members,  but  especially  of  ministers, 
elders,  and  deacons  are  most  to  their  purpose.  A  moral  reform 
lecturer,  not  long  since,  had  furnished  himself  with  a  fact  that 
was  to  make  the  ears  of  the  people  to  tingle  :  our  Theological 
Seminaries  had  become  licentious  !  But  unhappily  for  his 
purpose  the  story  proved  unfounded,  and  he  was  with  difficulty, 
induced  to  suppress  it.  The  spirit  of  scandalous  story  telling  is 
not  far  from  a  libellous  spirit. 

Note  H. 

The  spirit  of  '  agitation^  is  the  spirit  of  leveUi?ig  ;  and  the 
spirit  of  levelling  is  the  spirit  of  envy,  and  of  ■self-exaltation. 
It  is  a  most  vague  thing  in  its  aims  :  it  knows  not  what  it  would 
have,  or  where  it  would  end.  I  am  not  surprised  at  the  no 
human  government  doctrine.  It  is  not  new  in  the  world.  Its 
advocates  are  the  'Fifth  monarchy  men'  of  this  age.  Nor 
shall  I  be  surprised  at  any  extravagances  the  age  may  produce. 
We  are  not  at  the  end  of  them  yet.  How  well  would  it  be  if 
the  history  of  the  days  of  Cromwell  were  read  and  pondered 
by  the  men  of  this  generation. 


30 


Note  I. 

The  number  of  lecturers  who  have  either  lectured  or  ur- 
gently proposed  to  lecture  in  Northampton  within  the  last  few 
months  is  not  less  ihan  fifteen.  The  number  of  lectures  which 
they  wished  to  give  would  have  amounted  to  some  forty  or  fifty. 
In  some  instances  they  have  wished  to  occupy  the  Sabbath — 
often,  and  indeed  commonly,  our  Sabbath  evenings.  In  one 
or  two  instances  we  have  been  obliged  to  suspend  our  stated 
prayer-meetings  for  them  ;  and  in  other  instances  should  have 
done  so  if  a  good  deal  of  importunity  had  been  sufiered  to  carry 
the  point  with  us. 

t 

The  matters  treated  of  in  these  pages  all  will  admit  to  be 
important.  I  am  aware  of  their  delicacy,  and  of  the  difference 
of  opinion  which  exists  in  regard  to  them ;  but  while  I  have 
spoken  frankly,  I  have  aimed  so  to  express  myself  as  to  give 
no  reasonable  offence  to  any  candid  and  generous  mind. 
Whatever  errors  I  may  be  in,  (and  they  may  be  many)  let 
them  be  shown,  and  I  shall  cheerfully  recede  from  them.  To 
hold  opinions  because  we  have  held  them, — to  pursue  a  wrong 
track  because  we  have  entered  on  it, — to  be  obstinate  because 
we  are  committed,  is  a  weakness,  as  well  as  wickedness,  of 
which  no  Christian  should  be  guilty. 


•; 


ICI 


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